Highlights

Exodus - Exhibit B: The Human Condition

Sevendust - Cold Day Memory

Jay-Z - The Blueprint 3

Shinedown - The Sound Of Madness

Karnivool - Sound Awake

Avenged Sevenfold - Nightmare

Flyleaf - Flyleaf & Memento Mori

Protest The Hero - Fortress

Eminem - Recovery

Deftones - Diamond Eyes

From the first time I heard the song "Diamond Eyes" I was floored. Deftones managed to do what is the most exhilarating, and yet most difficult thing to do for any band, to keep the foundation of your sound, but infuse it with something modern or fresh. In their case, this was accomplished with guitarist Stephan Carpenter's introduction of an 8-string guitar, and some serious Meshuggah-worshipping riffs. Chino fully exploring his range and harmonizing skills, Frank Delgado's keyboards / DJ-ing adding some incredible mind-bending depth and ambiance, while drummer Abe Cunningham and new bassist Sergio Vega's poly-rhythmic foundation somehow glued it all together. That the band was able to pull it from the depths of such a horrible situation, is even more of a testament to how good this band truly is. Crushingly heavy, beautiful, passionate, real, Diamond Eyes is my album of the year.

It’s sad to see that Robb choosed almost a “hip-hop top 10″…i just like Deftones and Protest the Hero in his list…but someone should say him that “Fortress” by Protest the hero has been realized in 2008, not in 2010…

I totally agree with about Half of Rob’s picks! Especially The Deftones as Album of the Year! Sextape is the most soaringly atmospheric piece of musical granduer I have yet to hear from these incredible trailblazers of fringe/experimental/rock/?/! Bravo!-TIMMY! PS: When is Machinehead coming out with a new record?